Jan. 5, 2006 - Parenting
The most important thing we are doing in life is preparing a platform for our children. Our vision is that our children will go forward and do even greater things for God than we have. It is not really about us, the enemy fears the potential of those we will birth. We have a great challenge in this generation.
We have to rescue our children now! We have a fight on our hands. It is not a fight with our children but for them. It is a fight for the next generation.
Judges
And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for
Most people expect kids will be wayward and then return later. You cannot abdicate your responsibility or your authority. You must help them find their purpose. Find that bent and steer them toward that. Our children were born to worship. They were born to love and serve God. When they know their purpose, they will walk with God and in the anointing of the Lord. Children are arrows in the hand of warrior. Our kids are going to be our best disciples. Children are mighty weapons in the hand of a godly parent. They will not be defeated when they fight with the enemies in the gates. We can send our children to penetrate our society with leadership, influence and wisdom.
We need to be thinking, “What impact will my life have when I am gone? What will my grandchildren will be doing?” We cannot have a low vision. Our life can make a huge difference if we train our children right. Think about the opportunity! We are building a family dynasty! A dynasty maintains power for several generations. A good man leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren.
The
4 practical points of parenting:
We must imitate our Heavenly Father. He is the example parent.
- Practice loving and consistent discipline
It seems simple, but biblical discipline works. Your home is a window by which your child views God and his world. If you will not discipline, your child will not believe anyone else will either. They will become selfish and start thinking the world revolves around them. If your child learns to obey, he will prosper in life.
We must remind our children, “Because I love you I am going to teach you and discipline you. Honor your word. It is the law, and if you don’t enforce your child will develop a respect the law. Life will not always give them their way. Some people think they should have what they want when they want it and if they don’t get it they develop a victim mentality and be angry with the world.
If we do not discipline them, they will not be happy. Now a not about rules: we need to be careful to guard against legalism. Legalism will turn your children away from you and from God. Don’t always say no to your children. You need to say yes to them as much as possible and then when you have to say no, they will pay attention. They must know the reason behind the rules. They must be taught to honor God’s Word and follow the conviction of the Holy Spirit and their conscience.
- Capture their heart
God is affectionate. His love is sustaining and unconditional. God is wanting to affirm you verbally. God wants to speak life into our lives, we need to speak life into our homes. It is so easy to speak in the negative. We need to make sure we are speaking sweet. The heart of the wise teaches his mouth what to say.
Don’t vent all your feelings. Rule your own spirit. Don’t rant and rave. Don’t get easily angry.
Children take in everything. They record everything so we have to be careful with them. God is going to cover our mistakes but we need a vision. Speak words of faith and destiny to your children. Satan loves to make your children believe lies. We must encourage them daily.
Say, “Good job!” Tell them how thankful you are that they are yours. I am so glad your mine. I am so blessed to have you as my son or daughter. Do they know you are proud of them and that you love them.
Pray over them every night.
Their hearts are very open at night. Pray encourage them speaking over them.
My children need to hear that I am proud of him. God does not embarrass or humiliate us. Fathers tell your daughters they are beautiful. Their first man in their life was their dad and if he thought they were beautiful, that is all they need. Go on a date with them.
You are capturing their heart. You are building your family as a unit.
Everyone can live by them selves but we must be a unit. Speak words of life to children, say, “I love you.” When we make a mistake, if we can say we are sorry easily, it will help them to know they will be forgiven when they make mistakes.
- Be affectionate with them.
Children will always try to get to people who love them. They knew Jesus loved them. Jesus loves your children. He took infants up that he may touch them.
Give them lots of hugs. You give them security when you grab their hand when they go across the street. Put your arm around them. It will teach them to be affectionate.
God loves us to be affectionate and wants them to feel God’s love through us. We are what he has chosen to show our kids what God looks like. We have got to show them what Father God is like.
- Take time with them.
Our world is so busy. Cell phones, schedules, internet...
According to the Old Webster’s dictionary “education” means to correct the temper. It is not the teacher’s job to educate our children. The job belongs to the parents.
Train them for usefulness in their future, and in order to do that, we must spend time with them. Pull them along behind, train them. Come with me and I will show you the goodness of God. Children need your time. Mothers and Fathers take time for them. Spend your free time taking them out, reading stories, and playing with them.
We take the time to train them all during the day and not just school hours. Dinner table is a major training place. If they can behave themselves at home, when you take them out they are a blessing and stay in their chairs. Train them at home how to behave in certain situations. To have manners in public places and how to communicate to adults. They won’t be perfect but if we train them at home, we will be confident when we take them out that they will be a blessing to others.
If you have teenagers, make sure that you are there for them as they grow. If home is an enjoyable place they will want to be there with you. Encourage your children to have a friend over for dinner or a sleep over and teach them hospitality.
Play with your children. Let them know that you want to spend time with them. You should show them that you want to spend time with them just like God wants to spend time with you. Enjoy them, play with them, and don’t let other things keep you from it. Don’t worry about your house. They grow up all too soon and are gone. Your house will still be there.
You have a great opportunity to do something great for the Lord. Your children are your number one disciples. Pass the baton of Faith on to them. Children are wet cement. The impressions we are making in their lives will solidify and harden and will shape their adult lives.
May God give us grace to raise our children in the ways of the Lord.
Comments
Jan. 5, 2006 - <i>Untitled Comment</i>
Posted by Edited by Titus2woman on Jan. 4, 2006 at 11:21 PM
Jan. 12, 2006 - That was perfect!
We do our devotions every morning now, but I want to spend so much more time with them - just having fun. I hear your words, they're growing up so fast. My oldest is 9 and I can't believe it. I feel like I obsess about all my responsibilities and the result is that my children get my left overs. Please help me pray that God help change my heart and focus.
Your words were so timely. God bless you
Edited by Redeemed on Jan. 11, 2006 at 8:53 PM
Jan. 12, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Janne
